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Vocational training and employability: Evaluation evidence from Romania

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  • Popescu, Madalina Ecaterina
  • Roman, Monica

Abstract

This study evaluates the direct effects of vocational training, which is a popular active labour market policy in a European developing country such as Romania. Since the available official statistical microdata were insufficient to conduct reliable impact evaluations, the main findings were obtained through a counterfactual impact evaluation using newly produced micro survey data. Moreover, the research provides a heterogeneity analysis of groups of trainees, in order to identify the categories for which the programme performs best. The main results reveal that the training measure has a positive, but modest impact upon employability in Romania: participation increases employment chances properly controlled by 15%. It is most successful for women and for people living in urban areas. Measures for increasing the impacts of the vocational training programme in Romania are identified in terms of better targeting and profiling the trainees and closer adjustment of the programme to the specific needs of the labour market.

Suggested Citation

  • Popescu, Madalina Ecaterina & Roman, Monica, 2018. "Vocational training and employability: Evaluation evidence from Romania," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 38-46.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:67:y:2018:i:c:p:38-46
    DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2017.11.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Monica Roman & Dorel Mihai Paraschiv, 2019. "The Young Entrepreneurs of Europe and the Role of International Mobility," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 21(S13), pages 763-763, November.
    2. Magdalena VELCIU & Liliana GRECU, 2018. "Driving Forces For Returning Behaviour After Graduation Abroad," CrossCultural Management Journal, Fundația Română pentru Inteligența Afacerii, Editorial Department, issue 1, pages 29-32, July.
    3. Di Pietro Giorgio, 2025. "Labour market effects of training programmes in the EU. Findings and policy lessons from a meta-analysis," JRC Research Reports JRC142871, Joint Research Centre.
    4. Marwa Sahnoun & Chokri Abdennadher, 2022. "Returns to Investment in Education in the OECD Countries: Does Governance Quality Matter?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 1819-1842, September.
    5. Lucia Švábová & Katarína Kramárová & Marek Ďurica, 2021. "Evaluation of the Effects of the Graduate Practice in Slovakia: Comparison of Results of Counterfactual Methods," Central European Business Review, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2021(4), pages 1-31.
    6. Biswal, Pritam & Sahoo, Chandan Kumar & Mishra, Niharranjan, 2025. "Participation among tribal youths of India in vocational training measures: A systematic review of literature," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    7. Adriana Ana Maria Davidescu & Monica Roman & Vasile Alecsandru Strat & Mihaela Mosora, 2019. "Regional Sustainability, Individual Expectations and Work Motivation: A Multilevel Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-23, June.

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